Is Jay Z Teasing a New Album With Those Mysterious ‘4:44’ Billboards?

The numbers “4:44” have been mysteriously appearing on billboards and online ads in Los Angeles and New York, as well as banner ads on websites including Complex.com, Fader, and Hypebeast.

Fans went into overdrive assuming the numbers were code for Jay Z’s upcoming album because the word “Tidal” appeared at the bottom of some of the ads. Tidal is a subscription-based streaming service that Jay Z is a lead investor in, along with other musical artists.

However, a trailer for “4:44” that aired during Game 3 of the NBA finals, featuring actors Mahershala Ali, Lupita Nyong’o, and Danny Glover, led to speculation that the numbers actually referenced a film, because of an NC-17 rating at the end of the trailer. A “stay tuned” message also appeared at the end of the clip directing viewers to a Sprint-Tidal webpage, which possibly indicates that the video will appear as part of Tidal’s new partnership with Sprint.

This isn’t the first time Jay Z has joined forces with a corporation prior to an album release. In 2013, he partnered with Samsung for his 12th studio album, Magna Carta Holy Grail.

Whatever “4:44” represents, fans are still hoping that the numbers are a tease for Jay Z’s long-anticipated album.

In other entertainment news, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stopped to chat with a family … in his kayak: